Wetherholt's Two Homers Lift Cardinals in Extra-Inning Thriller

St. Louis rallies late to snap three-game skid against Cleveland Guardians

Apr. 15, 2026 at 4:09am

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A fractured, geometric painting in bold primary colors, depicting the dynamic motion and competing forces of a baseball game, without any recognizable players or logos.A cubist interpretation of the dramatic back-and-forth between the Cardinals and Guardians, capturing the raw energy and tension of the extra-innings thriller.St. Louis Today

JJ Wetherholt hit two home runs, including a crucial eighth-inning blast, as the St. Louis Cardinals came from behind to defeat the Cleveland Guardians 6-5 in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Cardinals.

Why it matters

The Cardinals have struggled with their bullpen in recent games, but this comeback victory shows the team's resilience and ability to overcome late deficits. Wetherholt's performance also highlights the team's offensive depth, which will be crucial as they look to compete in the NL Central division.

The details

Trailing 5-4 with two outs in the ninth inning, the Cardinals tied the game on a Masyn Winn ground ball that resulted in a Guardians fielding error, allowing Yohel Pozo to score the tying run. In the 10th, an automatic runner and a wild pitch set up Nathan Church's game-winning sacrifice fly to score Thomas Saggese and complete the comeback.

  • Wetherholt hit a third-inning solo home run to tie the game 1-1.
  • Wetherholt hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to pull the Cardinals within 5-4.
  • The Cardinals scored the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The players

JJ Wetherholt

Cardinals outfielder who hit two home runs, including a crucial eighth-inning blast, to lead the team's comeback.

Masyn Winn

Cardinals infielder whose ninth-inning ground ball resulted in a Guardians error, allowing the tying run to score.

Nathan Church

Cardinals outfielder who hit the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to score the automatic runner.

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What they’re saying

“That's the kind of win that can really get us going. Wetherholt came up big for us, and the whole team showed a lot of fight to come back like that.”

— Oliver Marmol, Cardinals Manager

What’s next

The Cardinals will look to build on this momentum as they continue their series against the Guardians on Wednesday night.

The takeaway

The Cardinals' ability to rally late and win in extra innings, despite their recent bullpen struggles, demonstrates the team's resilience and offensive firepower. Wetherholt's performance was a bright spot, and the Cardinals will hope this victory can spark a turnaround as they aim to climb back into contention in the NL Central.